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Snow Like Ashes

Even though I read the sequel I still had little familiarity with the story as I never finished it and it was quite confusing. But here I could understand and it had gave me joy to read this, even though the twists weren’t that surprising despite me not really seeing it. Somehow this was enticing and much better than some of the things I read. It was predictable but still largely enjoyable.

But the world here is fascinating such as the conduits and their abilities, to the more unique traits of the kingdoms where they would take the traits of whatever kingdom they are born in. And the history behind the magic makes me curious, really curious about what happens behind.

And the magic behind given seems like a myth that needs to be answered. As well as eight different kingdoms such ad rhythms who have the four seasons and the seasons kingdoms just one. It was oddly fascinating and quite well represented, since some countries only experience one season(Singapore, my dear country only has summer, it’s sunny all year long). And it having some which were matriarchy was just brilliant here, such as Mather being hopelessly useless due to his gender. Even though in the end it’s not really him.

Characters wise, it was better. Even if there was the tomboy main character, she rather hates dresses and even thinks it a device to keep women from running away. But I connected with her, she was bearable. She didn’t try to push down females and respected all of them, given how their kingdom is. And she just hates ball gowns and dresses not being a girl. But she is just much more pro-active and I can accept that, at least she’s doing something. A true damsel in distress play the passive victim doing absolutely nothing.

As for the love interests, I didn’t love any of them. I liked Theron for being a little bit different and not a jerk, same for Mather. They just feel oddly lacking, maybe it’s because Meira is the one always narrating. My main issue is that I haven’t really felt her deepest falling, she is strong and it doesn’t take her long to recover. But the other two leads, I really really cannot feel them. Since if I do want to care about them, they need to stand out.

Apart from not being liable to normal tropes of the YA, where both guys care deeply for her and truly like her and aren’t jackasses. But since it’s being told from her POV, I feel as though I haven’t really seen them deep inside. Even with Mather, during the last couple of chapters, I didn’t really feel him. But since it’s being told from the first person, it’s hard to relate to them as it’s being narrated. In which all it lies is on Meira and her voice, since it would lack.

But this was enjoyable even if I wondered to know more, and sometimes I feel as though I haven’t really feel as though Meira had ever been desperate, broken down. Although a lot of what she wants through really would make her that way, but she never felt so. She had a strong voice that I could read and relate, but perhaps a little uninteresting and bland.

But ending wise, I really liked it. Where she is all but at the end of the day, she is herself. That was a great sentence if you ask me, and I rather liked her for that. That she is herself.

Overall, I would recommend this if you truly want something enjoyable and easy. But never brainless, and even enticing. Neither is it too mind boggling for many or too intense.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Reading the sequel: yeah, kinda did just never finished. One of these days, I’m going to read it to its end.